Written Answers Tuesday 22 November 2005

Scottish Executive

Asylum Seekers

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Home Office officials involved directly with the removal of children in "dawn raids" in Scotland have had a full disclosure from Disclosure Scotland.

Robert Brown: It is for individual employers, in this case the Home Office, to decide whether a particular member of staff working in Scotland is in a child care position under the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003 and whether they require a disclosure check.

Benefits

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20084 by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 November 2005, what information it has on how the child care subsidy provided to parents under the Working for Families Fund affects the working family tax credit paid to those parents.

Malcolm Chisholm: The subsidy provided varies between parents as the amount is based on individual need. However, the subsidy usually takes the form of funding 100% of child care costs for the parent for a short, time-limited period only. It is then replaced by the child care element of Working Tax Credit which meets 70% of a parents’ child care costs. The difference between receiving 70% of child care costs through Working Tax Credit and 100% of child care costs through subsidy, for the initial period on entering employment, can be crucial in supporting parents to sustain their employment at this important but often difficult transition period.

Central Heating Programme

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12173 by Mr Andy Kerr on 23 November 2004, what progress has been made with the research projects in relation to excess winter mortality and whether the findings will be made public.

Mr Andy Kerr: No specific study has been undertaken in relation to winter mortality. However, the Scottish Executive is funding two major research projects evaluating the impact of the central heating programme.

  The first is a long-term project being undertaken by the University of Edinburgh and TNS Social Research looking at the impact of the programme on the health of recipients. This work is expected to be completed towards the end of 2006.

  The second is an annual survey of households included in each of the first three years of the programme. This research showed that in the first year of the programme nearly 90% of the people surveyed who were in fuel poverty were lifted out of it after receiving the programme.

  Once the findings of these research projects are finalised they will be made available to the public.

Central Heating Programme

Murray Tosh (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers high-efficiency condensing boilers to be a more cost-effective or energy-efficient way of running central heating systems; whether it plans to introduce measures to require condensing boilers in all new heating system installations, and, if so, what the timescales are for introducing such a requirement.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  When compared with the level of efficiency for regular boilers required under the current Scottish building regulations, installation of condensing boilers as direct replacements can be difficult to justify in terms of cost-effectiveness or energy-efficiency alone.

  Condensing boilers, however, can make significant savings in terms of reducing CO2 emissions and consequently consideration is being given to introducing them into Scottish building regulations as a part of the current review. They would not be made mandatory in all new heating systems as this would disadvantage other emerging energy-efficient technology such as heat-pumps, but could be one way of meeting the energy standard for heating systems. This review will be out to public consultation in early 2006 with subsequent changes being brought into effect in spring 2007.

Central Heating Programme

Murray Tosh (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many non-condensing boilers it has had installed in homes under the central heating programme, administered for it by the Eaga Partnership Ltd, and how many it expects to install between now and May 2007; what it estimates the additional cost to it would have been had it required the installation of condensing boilers instead of non-condensing boilers, and what it estimates the value of savings to householders and the reduction in energy consumption would have been if the programme had specified the use of condensing boilers.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Since the programme started in 2001, a total 33,992 non-condensing boilers have been installed. At this stage the types of boilers to be used in any successor programme have yet to be decided, and as such it is not possible to say if any non-condensing boilers would be installed between now and May 2007. It is estimated that if condensing boilers had been used in the programme to date, the additional cost (based on current prices) would be in the region of £8.5 million.

  It is estimated that the average annual savings resulting in using condensing as opposed to non-condensing boilers would range between £19 for a flat to £41 for a detached property. It is estimated that there would be a 10% reduction in energy consumption but there will be wide variations in both price and energy savings as a result of climate, exposure, occupancy patterns, heating controls, insulation and other factors.

Central Heating Programme

Murray Tosh (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements exist under the central heating programme, administered for it by the Eaga Partnership Ltd, for householders to install condensing boilers and whether it will take steps to encourage householders to install condensing boilers and to increase the allowance per household to enable householders to meet the cost of installing condensing boilers.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Householders, if they so wish, can install condensing boilers as an upgrade to the system provided under the Scottish Executive programme. Any additional costs would require to be met by the householder.

  The central heating guidelines are continually assessed and many improvements have been made since the programme was introduced. The existing central heating programme in the private sector will be complete by April 2006, and options regarding future delivery are currently being considered. The details of any successor programme will be announced in due course.

Economy

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20014 by Nicol Stephen on 7 November 2005, what percentage of business investment in research and development in Scotland has been by (a) non-Scottish, (b) non-UK and (c) non-EU companies in (i) 1999, (ii) 2000, (iii) 2001, (iv) 2002, (v) 2003, (vi) 2004 and (vii) 2005 and what the percentage change has been in each source of investment.

Nicol Stephen: Earlier surveys on business research and development did not separately identify each source of investment. The latest available data is shown as follows.

  Percentage of Scottish Business Enterprise Research and Development (BERD) Expenditure by Firm Ownership

  

 
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003


 Non-Scottish
 n/a
 n/a
 63
 75
 71


 Non-UK
 41
 27
 56
 69
 63


 Non-EU
 n/a
 n/a
 48
 58
 53



  Percentage Change in the Value of BERD Expenditure by Ownership

  

 
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03


 Non-Scottish
 n/a
 n/a
 50%
 -24%


 Non-UK
 -33%
 167%
 54%
 -26%


 Non-EU
 n/a
 n/a
 51%
 -25%



  Note: Latest data is for 2002-03.

Economy

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20014 by Nicol Stephen on 7 November 2005, which countries accounted for the non-EU percentage of business investment in research and development in Scotland in each year since 1999.

Nicol Stephen: Of the total non-EU Business Enterprise Research and Development (BERD) expenditure, only USA BERD expenditure is separately identifiable. The years for which this information is available are as shown.

  Percentage of Non-EU BERD Expenditure by Firm Ownership

  

 
 2001
 2002
 2003


 Total Non-EU
 48
 58
 53


 Of which:
 
 
 


 USA
 92
 94
 93


 Other
 8
 6
 7

Environment

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to increase the number of beaches achieving blue flag status.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive is committed to achieving full compliance with the water quality standards set out in the European Bathing Water Directive (76/160/EEC), at all designated bathing waters in Scotland.

  To this end, the Scottish Executive has sanctioned the expenditure of £1.8 billion by Scottish Water during the period 2002-06 to upgrade its assets, with priority action being taken to protect bathing waters. A number of pilot projects have also been taken forward by the Scottish Executive in partnership with others, tackling diffuse pollution from farms and urban areas. As a result, more than half of Scotland’s bathing waters currently meet the stringent water quality standards required to attain Blue Flag status.

  However, for Blue Flag status to be awarded, other factors, such as the provision of beach amenities, are assessed. These however, are matters for individual beach operators. The decision as to whether or not to apply for Blue Flag status is also a matter for individual beach operators, although the Scottish Executive is pleased to note that Scotland currently has a record number of Blue Flag beaches.

Further and Higher Education

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it hopes to fill the remaining vacancies in the Scottish Higher and Further Education Funding Council and whether it will improve the representation from the further education sector in filling these vacancies.

Nicol Stephen: I would expect an appointment round for the two Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council vacancies to begin in early 2006. This will give the new chair an opportunity to assess the skills and knowledge of members and to identify those gaps which need to be addressed. The appointment will be conducted following guidelines issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland, which will ensure that the process is open and transparent, and appointments made on the basis of merit.

Health

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS services it will make a commitment to provide from any underspend in the health budget and what it estimates that underspend to be.

Mr Andy Kerr: It would be inappropriate to provide figures until the final accounts are published.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have died from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board area.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information is given in the following table:

  Deaths in Scotland where Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease1 was the Underlying Cause

  

 
 1999
 2000
 2001
 2002
 2003
 2004


 Scotland
 2,941
 2,825
 2,836
 2,840
 3,014
 2,752


 Argyll and Clyde
 250
 240
 235
 247
 256
 232


 Ayrshire and Arran
 224
 226
 251
 221
 241
 199


 Borders
 48
 56
 68
 60
 82
 64


 Dumfries and Galloway
 94
 104
 94
 91
 106
 107


 Fife
 171
 196
 195
 203
 205
 190


 Forth Valley
 139
 169
 142
 155
 156
 147


 Grampian
 237
 210
 224
 222
 230
 209


 Greater Glasgow
 668
 594
 590
 578
 624
 525


 Highland
 91
 76
 111
 101
 95
 114


 Lanarkshire
 320
 282
 299
 294
 285
 320


 Lothian
 398
 395
 378
 402
 463
 380


 Orkney
 4
 6
 6
 9
 5
 4


 Shetland
 7
 5
 8
 9
 8
 11


 Tayside
 280
 252
 228
 236
 250
 238


 Western Isles
 10
 14
 7
 12
 8
 12



  Source: General Register Office for Scotland.

  Note: 1. 1999 Data: ICD9 codes 490-492, 496, 2000 data: ICD10 codes J40-J44.

Health

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to improve services for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) since the Minister for Health and Community Care addressed the Celtic Conference on COPD in June 2005.

Mr Andy Kerr: As I made clear at that conference, people with COPD will benefit from the generic approach to the management of long-term conditions set out in Delivering for Health . In the Scottish context, the most effective way of improving services for those with COPD is for organisations representing their interests to engage with community health partnerships and with the Long-Term Conditions Alliance for Scotland.

Health Promotion

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of its health budget is allocated to health promotion.

Mr Andy Kerr: The information is not held centrally.

  A separate figure for Scottish Executive spend specifically on health promotion is not available as there are a number of funding streams which also have a health promotion element in them but which are not separately identified as such. These include funding for drug services, alcohol services, smoking cessation services, the National Demonstration Projects (Starting Well, Healthy Respect, Have a Heart Paisley), and mental health and well-being.

  Health promotion is an integral part of the Executive’s strategy for improving Scotland’s health. Delivering for Health identifies the need to ensure that services reach those who need them most, and that real health improvement can be demonstrated, especially in our most disadvantaged communities. Such services would include health promotion activities.

Planning

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the outcome of the deliberations of the Stakeholder Advisory Group ELF EMF will be taken into consideration when the proposed Beauly to Denny transmission line comes before the Executive for a planning decision.

Allan Wilson: The application in respect of Scottish and Southern Energy plc and Scottish Power Transmission Ltd’s joint proposal for an overhead transmission line between Beauly and Denny was received by the Scottish Executive on 28 September 2005.

  When determining the application ministers will have regard to all material considerations, this would include any conclusions arising from the Stakeholder Advisory Group on ELF EMFs.

Planning

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19830 by Allan Wilson on 9 November 2005, what plans are being made to increase the number of trained planners in order to implement the proposed planning Bill.

Johann Lamont: The research recently commissioned by the Executive on the subject of Resources for Planning examined, among other matters, issues relating to the supply and demand for planning staff and their professional education and training. The Executive will be discussing the report’s conclusions and recommendations with planning authorities, higher education institutions and other interested bodies.

Roads

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to implement the A76 Route Action Plan.

Tavish Scott: All the road safety and Route Accident Reduction Plan measures in the plan have been implemented as have the traffic calming and traffic management measures at various communities along the route. The provision of overtaking opportunity schemes is being developed.

Schools

Murray Tosh (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all proposed planning consents notified to it or Historic Scotland by local authorities or developers or agents acting in partnership with, or for, local authorities in respect of the Executive’s schools PPP programme and whether the proposed consents have been called in or cleared back to the respective local authorities in each case.

Johann Lamont: I should explain that responsibility for dealing with planning applications and planning matters generally rests initially with the planning authority. Scottish ministers would only consider intervening in the process, by calling in a planning application for their own determination, in the most exceptional circumstances, for example where a proposed development raises issues of significant national importance.

  The following is a list of applications notified to the Scottish Executive and Historic Scotland by planning authorities in respect of school PPP projects. It covers the period January 1998 until November 2005. The list indicates whether the proposals were called in for determination by Scottish Ministers or cleared back to the local authority:

  Planning Applications Notified to Scottish Ministers

  Currently under consideration:

  Cathkin High School, Cambuslang

  Duncanrig Secondary School, East Kilbride

  Wallace Hall Primary/Academy, Thornhill, Dumfries and Galloway.

  Called in:

  Lairhillock Primary School, Aberdeenshire

  Cleared back to local authority

  Colpy Road Secondary School, Oldmeldrum

  Meldrum Primary School, Oldmeldrum

  Banff Primary School, Banff

  Longside Primary School, Inn Brae, Longside

  Hill of Banchory Primary School, Banchory

  Portlethen Academy, Bruntland Road, Portlethen

  Rothienorman School, Rothienorman

  Castle Road Primary School, Kintore, Inverurie

  Fyfe Street Primary School, Forfar

  Woodlands Caravan Park Primary School, Carnoustie

  Thomas Street Primary School, Carnoustie

  Kirkcudbright Academy, St Mary’s Wynd, Kirkcudbright

  Ladyacre Primary School, Craigs Road, Dumfries

  Kingspark Secondary School, Gillburn Road, Dundee

  St Andrews Road Primary School, Anstruther, Fife

  Beath High School, Foulford Road, Cowdenbeath

  Queen Anne High School, Broomhead, Dunfermline

  Roman Road Secondary School, Balfron

  Station Road, Primary School, Buchlyvie, Stirling

  Airthrey Road/Ballater Drive High School, Stirling

  Old Doune Road High School, Dunblane

  Williamfield High School, Torbrex Farm Road, Stirling

  St Modans High School, Stirling

  Secondary School at Bathgate Academy, Bathgate

  Low Port Primary School, Blackness Road, Linlithgow

  Secondary School at Whitburn Academy, Whitburn

  Primary/Nursery at Linlithgow Primary School Annexe, West Port, Linlithgow

  Broxburn Academy, Cardross Road, Broxburn

  Doomsdale Primary School, Linlithgow Bridge

  St Andrews Academy, Ben Nevis Road, Paisley

  Primary School at Waid Academy, St Andrews Road, Anstruther

  Secondary School at St Andrews Academy, Jacks Road, Saltcoats

  Bellahouston Academy School Of Sport, Gower Street, Glasgow

  Alterations to Bellahouston Academy, Lower Gower Terrace, Glasgow

  Secondary, Primary and Special School, Grange Academy, Kilmarnock

  Secondary School, Dingwall Academy, Dingwall, Ross-shire

  Secondary School, Millburn Academy, Inverness

  Secondary School, Strathaven Academy, Strathaven

  School at Broomhead Park, Dunfermline

  Beath High School, Foulford Road, Cowdenbeath

  Queen Anne High School, Broomhead, Dunfermline

  Tomatin Primary School

  Pre-School Nursery, Kirkhill Primary School, Kirkhill, Nr Beauly

  Raddery School, Fortrose, Ross-shire

  Primary and High School, Kinlochleven

  Portree High School, Portree, Isle of Skye

  Extension to St Ninian’s High School, Giffnock

  Primary and Nursery School, Ayr Road/St Vigeans Avenue, Newton Mearns

  Extension to Mearns Castle High School, Newton Mearns

  New School, East of Eaglesham Road, Clarkston

  Extension to Cleveden Secondary School, 42 Cleveden Road, Glasgow

  Extension to Hyndland Secondary School, Glasgow

  Part Demolition and Erection of Extension, Holyrood Secondary School, Glasgow

  Extension to Notre Dame High School, Observatory Road, Glasgow

  Secondary School at Rosshall Park, Lade Terrace/Crookston Road, Glasgow

  Primary School and Nursery, 36 Knightscliffe Avenue, Glasgow

  School at Westland Drive, Jordanhill Glasgow

  Primary/Nursery School, Berryknowes Road, Glasgow

  Extension To Form Nursery School, 20 Mosspark Square, Glasgow

  Tannochside Primary School, Uddingston,

  Joint Campus Primary Schools and Nursery, Chapelhall

  Secondary School, Palacecraig Street, Coatbridge

  Primary School and Nursery, St Patrick’s Primary School, New Stevenston

  Primary School, former St Catherine’s School Annexe, Uddingston

  Primary School, Cumbernauld Road, Stepps

  Primary School, Young Street/Loch Park, Wishaw

  Primary School, Branchal Road, Cambusnethan, Wishaw

  Williamwood High School, Seres Rd, Clarkston

  Extension and refurbishment of St Josephs Primary School, Greenock

  Development platform for school, Cumbernauld Road, Greenock

  Development platform for school, Brachelston Street Greenock

  Secondary School at Bothwell Road Park, Hamilton

  Holy Cross High School, Muir Street, Hamilton

  High School, Bridge Of Weir Road, Linwood

  Primary School, Craigview Avenue/Beith Road, Johnstone

  Secondary School, Linwood High School, Stirling Drive, Linwood

  Primary School, Carlibar Community Centre, Carlibar Road, Barrhead

  High School, Hawkhead Road/Ben Nevis Road, Paisley

  Gliffer High School, Amochrie Road, Paisley

  Extension to St Patrick’s Primary School, Coronation Road East, New Stevenson

  Joint Campus Primary Schools, Chapelhall

  Joint Campus Primary School, Our Lady and St Joseph’s School, Glenboig

  Joint Campus Primary School, St Kevin’s Primary School, Bargeddie

  Joint Campus Primary School, Plains, Airdrie

  Secondary School, Airdrie Academy, South Commonhead Avenue, Airdrie

  Joint Campus Primary Schools, St Patrick’s High/Dunbeth Park, Coatbridge

  Joint Campus Primary Schools, Houldsworth Park, Wishaw,

  Primary School and Nursery, Stepps

  Secondary, Primary and Special School, Annanhill Primary School, Kilmarnock

  Primary School, Motherwell Street, Airdrie

  Secondary School, East Of Drumfork Road, Helensburgh

  Primary School Development, Dingwall

  Special Needs School, Drummond School, Inverness

  Primary School, Cawdor, Nairn

  Community Primary School, Inshes, Inverness

  Primary School at Slackbuie Farm, Inverness

  St Brides High School, East Kilbride

  Douglas Academy Campus, Milngavie.

  Other Applications notified to Historic Scotland

  Banff Primary School, Aberdeenshire

  The Royal High School, Edinburgh

  Bellahouston Academy, Glasgow

  Hillhead High School, Glasgow

  Knightswood Secondary School, Glasgow

  Notre Dame High School, Glasgow

  Hyndland Secondary School, Glasgow

  Holyrood Secondary School, Glasgow

  Dalkeith High School, Midlothian

  Bathgate Academy, West Lothian

  Low Port Primary School, West Lothian

  Our Lady’s High School, North Lanarkshire.

  All applications received by Historic Scotland were cleared back to the respective local authority for determination.

St Andrew's Day

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many events it is hosting to mark St Andrew’s Day 2005, broken down by (a) location and (b) nature of event.

Tom McCabe: Last year the First Minister announced plans to establish St Andrew’s Day as a day when Scots of all backgrounds, both at home and abroad, can join together in an annual celebration of Scotland.

  The Executive has since planned a range of activities to celebrate St Andrew’s Day this year.

  For the first time the Scottish Executive will be hosting St Andrew’s Day festivities in Edinburgh city centre on 30 November with a free public ceilidh. The ceilidh in the capital on Scotland’s day will take place at an open-air stage in the Lawnmarket and indoors in the adjacent Hub venue. The event is to be themed around our One Scotland Many Cultures campaign, and the evening’s bill of entertainment will draw on Scotland’s strong national identity for inspiration and will reflect our country’s increasing cultural diversity.

  This year’s celebrations will serve as a pilot event for future years, although the theme for future celebrations will vary from year to year. As such the focus for activity this year will be in Edinburgh, but it is our intention that in subsequent years there will be a programme for St Andrew’s Day celebrations which communities across Scotland can embrace, and one which can also be promoted abroad.

  Scottish ministers will be involved in a range of events on St. Andrew’s Day.

  The First Minister will attend the Glenfiddich Awards Ceremony in Edinburgh

  Ross Finnie, Minister for Environment and Rural Development, will co-host a seminar in the European Parliament in Brussels, attended by the European Agriculture Commissioner, show-casing to European counter-parts Scotland’s approach to rural development. Following that seminar, he will also co-host a Taste of Scotland reception in the European Parliament, attended by 500 key policy makers in Brussels from EU institutions, regions and member states.

  Patricia Ferguson, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport will be attending a St Andrew’s Day event at the University of Glasgow’s Crichton campus in Dumfries at which Scottish songwriters will perform for the first time selected songs in the Burns tradition;

  Malcolm Chisholm, Minister for Communities will be attending a Race Equality Champions lunchtime event being hosted by the Commission for Racial Equality in the Scottish Parliament, and together with Peter Peacock, Minister for Children and Young People, the Scottish Inter Faith Council’s evening reception in the Scottish Parliament.

  Tom McCabe, Minister for Finance and Public Sector Reform, will attend the annual Brussels St Andrew’s Lecture on 29 November 2005. This year, the lecture will be delivered by Alexander McCall Smith, the author of No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series.

  South Lanarkshire Council is hosting a St. Andrew’s Night event in Rutherglen town hall. The event which is being organised by the Scottish Council on Archives is entitled Documents that Shaped the Nation, which will be chaired by the BBC Scotland reporter Brian Taylor and will feature a panel of Scotland’s top historians, as well as MSPs Wendy Alexander and Tommy Sheridan.

  Further information promised in the answer to S2W-20088 is as follows:

  A St Andrew’s Day message from the First Minister will be sent to all Foreign and Commonwealth Office British Embassy networks.

  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) were contacted in October to offer a special package of promotional items for St Andrew’s Day celebrations. The Scottish Executive has received fifty-seven requests to provide promotional items for events and other related activities.

  The FCO British Embassy networks are holding or supporting a large number of events around the world to celebrate St. Andrew’s Day. The Scottish Executive is now aware of forty-one events being held around the world:

  

 Abuja, Nigeria
 Caledonia Ball to be held.


 Amman, Jordan
 The Embassy Club with 70-strong UK police contingent to hold a St Andrew’s Day party on 24 November.


 Ankara, Turkey
 Caledonia Society holding St Andrew’s Day ball.


 Australia 
 St Andrew’s Day celebrations.


 Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro 
 Event.


 Boston
 St Andrew’s Day event.


 Bratislava
 St Andrew’s Day events.


 Brunei 
 St Andrew’s Society events.


 Brussels
 St Andrew’s Day events.


 Chicago, USA
 Deputy Management Officer at British Consulate holding a St Andrew’s Day event.


 Denmark
 Ambassador and representatives to attend Caledonia Society St Andrew’s Day Ball.


 Dushanbe, The Gambia
 St Andrew’s Day reception at the Ambassador’s residence and the opening of the new Embassy in Dushanbe.


 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
 British Consulate to hold Caledonia Society St. Andrew’s Day ball.


 Kolkata, India
 Embassy to hold a grand charity ball on 26 November to celebrate St. Andrew’s Day.


 Latvia
 The British Chamber of Commerce in Latvia organising their monthly dinner with a Scottish theme for St Andrew’s Day.


 Lithuania 
 St Andrew’s Dinner


 Lusaka, Zambia
 Caledonia Society to hold St Andrew’s Day Ball.


 Macedonia
 St Andrew’s Day reception


 Mumbai, India
 British Deputy High Commission to hold a St. Andrew’s Day event on 19 November.


 Madrid, Spain
 Caledonia Ball to be held.


 Moscow
 St Andrew’s Day event.


 New York
 St Andrew’s Day event.


 Panama City
 St Andrew’s Day supper.


 Papua New Guinea 
 St Andrew’s Day celebrations.


 Peru 
 St Andrew’s Day events. 


 Prague, Czech Republic 
 Caledonia Society Ball to be held.


 Riyadh
 St Andrew’s ball.


 Seychelles 
 St Andrew’s celebrations.


 Sri Lanka
 St Andrew’s Day events.


 St Petersburg
 St Andrew’s Day celebrations.


 Tashkent
 several events taking place.


 The Netherlands
 St Andrew’s Day celebrations.


 Tokyo, Japan
 British Embassy to hold a St Andrew’s Day ball.


 Ulaanbaatar 
 British Embassy holding an event.


 Warsaw
 St Andrew’s Day competition.


 Zagreb, Croatia
 to organise a St Andrew’s Day event.



  The Taste of Scotland event in Brussels is part of a range of events around St Andrew’s Day organised by SEEUO in support of the UK Presidency of the Council of Ministers. This is being done in co-operation with all seven Scottish MEPs and Scotland Europa in addition to the ministerial events highlighted about, throughout the week there will be debates on a wide range of issues including better regulation, rural and urban development, the Scottish justice system and research and development. The Hooked on Scottish Film series supported by Scottish Screen gives the opportunity to see Scottish films. At the European Parliament, the work of one of Scotland’s most influential artists, John Bellany CBERA will be presented and at the Committee of the Regions, the eight pictures by Scottish schoolchildren which featured at the G8 summit are on display.

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs to it are of monies loaned by the Student Loans Company.

Nicol Stephen: The DEL cost of student loans issued by the Student Loans Company is currently 31p for every £1 of loan issued.

  There is also a DEL cost of the unwinding of the write-off and debt sale subsidy provisions. This unwinding cost is not a static annual amount but is obtained by multiplying the opening balance on these provisions with the RPI rate and the cost of capital. In 2004-05 these amounts were £10.8 million and £4.6 million respectively (unaudited figures).

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19044 by Nicol Stephen on 21 September 2005, whether the Scottish survey on students’ income, expenditure and debt 2004-05, due for publication in November 2005, will include an analysis of graduate debt caused by student loans.

Nicol Stephen: The survey due to be published in November contains data showing the amount of outstanding student loan debt in the context of overall student borrowings.

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19044 by Nicol Stephen on 21 September 2005, whether the Scottish survey on students’ income, expenditure and debt 2004-05 is the survey referred to in the answers to questions S1W-24495, S1W-32687, S1W-32699, S1W-34551, S2W-1571, S2W-8886, S2W-8890 and S2W-14039.

Nicol Stephen: Yes, the Scottish survey on students’ income, expenditure and debt 2004-05 is the survey referred to in the above parliamentary questions.

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19044 by Nicol Stephen on 21 September 2005, whether the Scottish survey on students’ income, expenditure and debt 2004-05 is the survey that was recommended by the Cubie Committee.

Nicol Stephen: Yes, the survey is the study recommended by the Cubie Committee.

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19044 by Nicol Stephen on 21 September 2005, whether the Scottish survey on students’ income, expenditure and debt 2004-05 will be as detailed as the Student Income and Expenditure Survey conducted by Professor Claire Callender, referred to in the answer to question S1W-30199.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish survey of Student Income, Expenditure and Debt runs to 260 pages and contains over 100 tables.

Student Loans

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-19044 by Nicol Stephen on 21 September 2005, whether it has seen provisional results from the Scottish survey on students’ income, expenditure and debt 2004-05 and whether it has requested a revision or revisions of the findings.

Nicol Stephen: The survey was run on the same terms as any other Social Research study. It was commissioned by the Scottish Executive from independent researchers, who are experts in the field – they completed several similar studies for the Department for Education and Skills.

  The project was overseen by a Research Advisory Group consisting of Scottish Executive officials and external members. The day-to-day management of the project was undertaken by the Analytical Services Division responsible for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning. Project management included detailed exchanges on all aspects of the project, including emerging results, which were discussed by the Research Advisory Group in the presence of the researchers. The final report emanating from this process contains the facts that were found by the researchers and carries their name. Ministers were briefed on the final report recently and have not requested any changes.

  I look forward to a full, public and informed debate of the findings after publication.